By Nikhil Jitendran

0

12-Oct-2013 10:19:00

An evenly matched display by both sides in the first half turned into a one-sided affair as the Mariners, with a man down, conceded the game to the Red Lizards.

Welcome to Goal's new I-League feature: Top and Flop. For every game, a candidate will be put forward, as chosen by Goal, who deserves recognition for achieving something special. It won't necessarily be the best player in the league - but whoever we nominate will have done something amazing. In the same vein, we will also name a player whose performance wasn’t up to the mark on the given day and eventually came to hurt his side.

TOP: CALUM ANGUS

The Greenwich-born Englishman could be the foreign signing of the season for Pune FC if he keeps up his performances like he did so against I-League stalwarts Mohun Bagan on Thursday. He was quite literally everywhere, from taking dangerous free-kicks to crossing in corners his team nearly scored from. But the highlight of Angus' magnanimous display, was when he made a decisive tackle on Harrison Muranda, right as he was through on an empty goal, after the Pune FC keeper capsized himself. Muranda seemed to have seized the advantage for Bagan but just as he was about to let fly, Angus charged in from behind the Kenyan, to deny him and Bagan the opener, keeping the score at 0-0. A game changing moment.

FLOP: ANYICHIE ECHEZONA

The Nigerian was at fault for his team's loss -plain and simple. He got himself booked for a needless foul in the first half, but gathered himself well, up until he was on the receiving end of a high challenge by Raul Fabiani. The Nigerian went down withering in pain, but instead of bearing it and accepting the apology of the opposition player, he chose to lash out at Fabiani reacting furiously to the foul, which was uncalled for. The refree, witnessing Fabiani in pain as well had no option but to send Echezona off. His departure cost his team the match for after he left, Bagan looked fragile at the back and conceded two goals meekly. If Echezona had held his own, the match could have had a different conclusion, altogether.

Do you agree with our choices? Let us know YOUR opinion by dropping a comment below